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Delano Timeline
The following is a timeline that highlights the important events in early Wichita that made Delano notorious.
From Cattle to Skies
Barely a generation after drovers celebrated the end of the trail by quenching their thirsts and pleasures at one of then-West Wichita’s numerous saloons, a fledgling new “industry” began to take wing.
Rowdy Joe & Red Beard
Across the Arkansas River, a stones throw from Wichita prestigious and law-abiding families, sat the much vilified but lucrative businesses in the township of Delano.
Rowdy Joe Lowe
A Day of Drinking makes Rowdy Joe Lowe, one of Delano's most notorious outlaws.
Baseball Apple Pie & Delano
America’s favorite pastime followed a route starting in east Wichita and wound itself to its present and historic landmark just south of the Delano district.
“Law and Lucre in Wichita”
Life and Times of the The Earps while in Wichita from 1974 to 1976

From the Wild West to the wide blue yonder, Delano has been at the crossroads of Wichita’s history.
By Fred Solis
Barely a generation after drovers celebrated the end of the trail by quenching their thirsts and pleasures at one of then-West Wichita’s numerous saloons, a fledgling new “industry” began to take wing.


Colorful characters like Rowdy Joe, Red Beard and Sawdust Charlie rode into local lore and gave way to new legends Walter Beech, Clyde Cessna and Lloyd Stearman.

Together the latter trio formed Travel Air Mfg. Co. and set up shop in December 1925 at 535-537 West Douglas, near McLean and Douglas. Two years later, Travel Air moved to a new location on east Central, where Beech Aircraft now stands.

Space was tight at the West Douglas facility, but somehow Travel Air managed to cram woodworking, machines, welding jugs, an assembly line, paint shop, drafting room and sales offices into the building.

But their approach was effective and airplane orders took off, along with employment. By early 1926 the company had 30 people on the payroll. The industry was growing, too. Mail was now being flown from across the country, and passenger traffic was on the rise. Travel Air changed with the times, and responded with aircraft designed to carry both.

Although aircraft manufacturing was in its infancy in Wichita, it was beginning to exert its influence on the local economy and spawned several other aviation companies on West Douglas.

A couple doors down from Travel Air, at 529 W. Douglas, Wichita Blue Streak Motor Company opened. The company built small one-and two-seat aircraft that were frequently used as trainers.

Hilton Aircraft Company, 621 W. Douglas, make a four-place cabin airplane with steel tube construction throughout the body. It also had a full cantilever wing, which was said to be unusual in a `mid-wing` airplane.

At 716 W. First Street, the Wichita Airplane Mfg. Co. produced a low-power trainer called the “Cadet,” a one-place open biplane. Wichita Airplane also manufactured the “Captain,” a two-place trainer, and the “Major,” a cabin airplane.

Yunker Aircraft Corp., at 115 N. Osage, constructed airplanes with steel-tube fuselages and wooden wings with plywood covers.

And Beech, Cessna and Stearman?

The three went their separate ways after Travel Air and founded their own companies. Beech started the Beechcraft Company, now owned by Raytheon. Cessna founded Cessna, now a Textron company. Stearman likewise began designing and building his own airplanes at Stearman Aircraft, which was bought by Boeing’s parent company in 1929.

Together the three transformed the Delano Township from a collection of dance halls to a district of daring pioneers designing flying machines. Individually they charted the course for Wichita to become the Air Capitol of the World.

 

 
 
 
 
   
   
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